Highlands council adopts 42 reorganizational resolutions; swears in mayor, fire chief and patrolman

The Borough of Highlands Mayor and Council unanimously adopted a consent agenda of resolutions R26001 through R26042 at its Jan. 1, 2026 reorganization meeting and administered oaths of office to municipal leaders and new officers.

Mayor Carol Bulan opened the meeting, confirmed that notice requirements under the Open Public Meetings Act were satisfied and led ceremonial and procedural items, including an oath of office for the mayor. The council then approved the Dec. 17, 2025 minutes before the clerk read the titles of the consent agenda resolutions.

The consent agenda, adopted by motion and second, covered the election of a council president for calendar year 2026, awards of fair-and-open contracts for a range of municipal professional services (including municipal attorney, municipal engineer, municipal auditor, bond counsel, information technology services, labor counsel, public defender, prosecutor, tax counsel, affordable housing counsel, redevelopment counsel, risk management and conflict counsel), a non-fair-and-open contract for a sanitary sewer consulting engineer, confirmation of a permanent appointment of a patrolman (R26018), a reappointment noted later in the list for the municipal administrator (R26042), appointments to boards and committees (communications, environmental advisory commission, green team, shade tree commission, open space committee, land use board, economic development review board and others), designation of official newspapers and the municipal website, approval of a temporary 2026 budget and authorization of a cash management plan, and approval of 2026 events on borough properties.

Council member Svantes, Councilman Chilac, Council member Malik, Council Panchchesky and Mayor Bulan each recorded “Yes” when the motion was put to a roll-call vote; the clerk announced that the motion carried and the resolutions were adopted.

After the vote the council administered the oath of office for the fire chief, followed by an oath for a patrolman. The consent agenda itself included R26018, which is listed as confirming the permanent appointment of a patrolman.

Mayor Bulan used her remarks to highlight completed projects and ongoing municipal business, including a food-drive collection, and closed the public portion of the meeting before the council moved to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 12:30 p.m.

Votes at a glance: the consent agenda (R26001–R26042) passed by roll call with the council recording unanimous affirmative votes.